Dinner roll recipe teaches basics of bread baking

With the holidays fast approaching, I am thinking of ways my kids can contribute to the table.

We will be traveling east for Thanksgiving, to join my family in a very traditional affair. Perhaps we will offer to make some dinner rolls, because we have a new recipe that is really easy and fun to make.

They can even be frozen, and the recipe makes enough for a small army – enough to feed our Thanksgiving crowd this year, anyway.

I made the first batch of these rolls and confirmed that yes, they are a perfect starter bread for a young cook. I asked Emma, 11, to make a batch to go with dinner one night.

I showed her how to proof yeast and what to look for in a properly kneaded dough.

Molly, 9, looked on with envy. I had to promise her some alone time in the kitchen, too.

Emma measured, mixed and kneaded our dinner roll dough. After explaining the whys of simple bread baking, I think she could pull off any easy dough recipe thrown at her. I am a proud chef mother.

After a rest and time to grow, the dough was ready to form into balls. Emma rolled half the dough into a long rope, cut it into small pieces then folded the dough into itself to make balls. She arranged them in a greased baking dish, side by side.

The recipe makes 30 rolls, more than we can eat in a reasonable amount of time, so I froze one pan to use at a later time. The rolls need to rise again for about an hour.

Emma watched them attentively, anxious for the final stage – the baking. The time finally came, and after about 20 minutes in the oven, they were done.

I convinced her to let them cool for a few minutes before rewarding herself with one of these deliciously soft, warm rolls, smeared with butter.

If you have a budding baker, help him or her with this recipe for dinner rolls. It is easy to follow and makes a large batch, perfect for the upcoming holidays.

mpoitras@discoveryspeed.com. Margery Reed Poitras is a former professional chef who now cooks for her kids and occasionally for the more mature palate.